Stacy Alesi's BookBitch.com™

From the author:

Swoon-worthy romance with lovable characters, loads of humor, and a healthy dose of drama on the way to a happily ever after.

From I’ve Read This: Instant bestsellers, Consider Me, Play With Me, and Unravel Me were all published in December 2023 after reaching massive success as e-books via their popularity on TikTok. Now that they are in print, they’re reaching an even wider audience to great success. Each is a romance that follows a different hockey player on a fictional NHL team closely modelled after the Vancouver Canucks, and not surprisingly, each book results in true love found. You don’t need to necessarily read them in order, but there are ‘relationship spoilers’ if you don’t. With each being 500 pages, it is a commitment, but one that many are clearly diving into anyway.

From Goodreads: There appears to be a fifth book coming in this series, Breathe With Me. No information on it from my usual sources though, and trust me, I did my research. There is a barely-there mention of it on The Bookseller, simply stating that book 5 will be out in 2025 in the UK, and I assume, in the US. Obviously, I am a tiny bit obessed with this series!

I did a full review of the first book in the series, Consider Me, and here are my thoughts on the rest of the series.

I believe these were self-published, but Simon & Schuster published book 4, Fall With Me, and started up their publicity machine. I managed to get hold of all the books in the series thus far, and despite their long length, I read them in a few days. I loved them all! These books are full of well-defined characters that come to life on the page, lots of steamy sex, some real problems, and enough humor that I was laughing out loud. Plus, they are set in Canada in professional hockey with a fictional team, and even the hockey stuff all rang true. Being that the author is Canadian, that’s not a surprise. Canadians live and breathe hockey like Americans do with football, basketball, and/or baseball. Or hockey, for that matter.

See my comments below each book.

Book 1: CONSIDER ME

For a shot at love, he’ll do whatever it takes…

Carter Beckett is the NHL’s best player—both on and off the ice. His career is at its peak, his friends are performing better than ever, and there’s no shortage of women to spend the night with. What more could he want?

Olivia Parker isn’t new to professional hockey players, thanks to her best friend’s boyfriend, but she has no interest in dating one herself—no matter how hot he is. And anyway, she loves working as a teacher and hanging out with her best friend, drama-free. Why would she want to spend her time stroking the ego of an arrogant athlete?

But once Carter meets Olivia, he can’t think of anything else. Too bad for him, Olivia is hellbent on keeping him at arm’s length, with no intention of giving into his charms. Perhaps it’s time for Carter to up his game…after all, nobody said he had to play fair.

Sparks will fly as Carter does whatever it takes for Olivia to consider him.

From the BookBitch: Consider having plenty of Oreos around for this delicious read! Full review

Book 2: PLAY WITH ME

In the sizzling hockey romance that has taken TikTok by storm, a dedicated player struggles with the number one team rule: don’t go near the captain’s sister.

He’s found the perfect person—but she’s the only one he can’t be with…

Garrett Andersen knows that playing professional hockey requires absolute dedication to the rules. There’s just one rule he’s finding difficult to follow: stay away from his captain’s younger sister.

As a professional dancer, Jennie Beckett knows what it takes to excel. She prides herself on being every bit as confident and bold as her brother, sassy as hell, and the only person in charge of her pleasure. No wonder Garrett can’t stay away from her—even if he forgets how to form sentences whenever she’s around.

Jennie would rather avoid her brother’s teammate, especially after several embarrassing run-ins, but suddenly they’re neighbors. And as the connection between them grows, Garrett and Jennie decide to have some fun, no strings attached. Between their busy schedules and her brother’s disapproval, they know keeping things casual and low-key is the smartest play.

But what if their feelings get in the way? After all, they’re only supposed to be playing with each other…

From the BookBitch: Forbidden love is always a fun trope, and family relationships come into play here when team captain Beckett’s sister moves into the same building as his teammate, Garrett. Garrett is tasked with watching out for Jennie, and he does, happily. But as they grow closer, their friendship soon turns into a more physical relationship. When big brother finds out, that happy ending seems in jeopardy.

Book 3: UNRAVEL ME

In the sizzling hockey romance that has taken TikTok by storm, the star goalie discovers the family he’s always wanted when he falls in love with a single mother.

Can he leave the past behind to forge the future he’s always wanted?

When it comes to dating, Adam Lockwood wouldn’t know luck if it hit him in the face. After a failed relationship and a string of dates gone wrong, the thought of being vulnerable with someone is terrifying—most women only see his fame. But when his dog runs into Rosie Wells, a beautiful woman with a blush as pink as her hair, she doesn’t seem to have a clue who he is, and Adam seizes the opportunity as a chance to finally be himself.

Rosie has her hands full as a single mother and fourth-year veterinary student, and she certainly wouldn’t know a hockey player if she ran into one. She doesn’t have time to date, and she’s fiercely protective of her little family. But when a chance encounter leads her to Adam, she knows it’s worth risking her heart.

The only problem? Adam is used to wearing a mask—he’s a goalie, after all. And as he holds onto a secret that threatens to unravel him and destroy his new family, they’re both at risk of losing more than ever before.

NOTE: Unravel Me contains emotional references to the past death of parents and its surrounding grief, as well as brief discussions of foster care, depictions of child neglect (not by the main character), and the death of an animal (minimal descriptions and as it pertains to the FMC’s training as a veterinarian student; not main character’s pet). If you are sensitive to these subjects, please use this information to make an informed decision about whether to proceed with this story.

From the BookBitch: I loved this story! After a bad breakup with a woman who wanted Adam for everything he has monetarily, and a string of one-night stands with puck bunnies, Adam is done dating. He is a genuinely nice guy, and all he wants is a woman who loves him for himself. Convinced that is never going to happen, he meets Rosie while out walking his dog. She is a single mom, a veterinerary school student, and helps out at the local animal shelter. And best of all, she has no idea who he is other than this really sweet guy who also loves animals, and kids. Especially hers. Theirs is a rocky road to their happy ending, but I loved every page on the way there. This may be my favorite book of the series.

Book 4: FALL WITH ME

From bestselling author and TikTok sensation Becka Mack comes the next book in her sizzling hockey romance series about a playboy defenseman and the team photographer who reforms him.

It was supposed to be a one-night stand. But what if they can’t leave it in the past?

Jaxon Riley is exceptional at three things: starting fights on the ice, picking up women post-game, and going home to fulfill his role as the world’s best cat dad. Relationships, unfortunately, missed the list.

Lennon Hayes is supposed to be on her honeymoon. Instead, she’s alone and single, vacationing next door to a surly tattooed man who ran his date off the resort. When a run-in at the bar results in a night of bickering and cocktails, she finds herself tumbling into bed with the enemy next door, then sneaking out before the sun comes up.

Lennon’s plan to start over in a new city is going great, until she starts her new job. The job? The Vancouver Vipers’ new photographer. And the defenseman scowling at her from across the room? The one-night stand she wasn’t supposed to see again. Good thing neither of them are looking for anything serious… right?

Jaxon may not be used to falling, but if he’s going to go, he refuses to go alone. If he falls, he wants Lennon to fall with him.

From the BookBitch: Jaxon is the newest team member, but after being traded pretty much every year of his hockey career, he knows better than to grow attached to his teammates. But their captain, Beckett, his close group of teammates, and their wives happily ignore his standoffishness and embrace him as their newest family member. Lennon, thinking she is starting over in a new country after a bad breakup at her wedding rehearsal, is shocked to see the one-night stand she had on her “honeymoon.” But the WAGS (wives and girlfriends of the team) really love her and are including her in all their fun, keeping Jaxon and Lennon together whether they like it or not. And it turns out they like it, a lot.

9/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

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From the publisher:

Is he the real deal…or did she truly summon a golem?

Faye Kaplan used to be engaged. She also used to have a successful legal practice. But she much prefers her new life as a potter in Woodstock, New York. The only thing missing is the perfect guy.

Not that she needs one. She’s definitely happy alone.

That is, until she finds her town papered with anti-Semitic flyers after yet another failed singles event at the synagogue. Desperate for comfort, Faye drunkenly turns to the only thing guaranteed to soothe her—pottery. A golem protector is just what her town needs…and adding all the little details to make him her ideal man can’t hurt, right?

When a seriously hot stranger mysteriously turns up the next day, Greg seems too good to be true—if you ignore the fact that Faye hit him with her bike. And that he subsequently lost his memory…

But otherwise, the man checks Every. Single. Box. Causing Faye to wonder if Greg’s sudden and spicy appearance might be anything but a coincidence.

“A laugh-out-loud funny romance with depth and heart, readers will love this spellbinding novel!” —Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“Meltzer’s timely exploration of antisemitic propaganda is sensitive while never overshadowing the cute romance that blossoms between Faye and Greg. This is Meltzer’s best yet.” —Publishers Weekly

“Meltzer’s (Kissing Kosher) latest is a page-turner, and readers won’t be able to stop until they have all the answers.” —Library Journal

“The slow burn of their romance along with plenty of humor amid the serious concerns make Meltzer’s latest an excellent blend of Jewish culture and romance.” —Booklist

https://amzn.to/3MHo9ck

I have really enjoyed all of Meltzer’s books, and as serious an issue as this one covers, it is my least favorite. The story revolves around Faye, a “Jewitch”, and Greg, the perfect man for Faye except for one tiny flaw – she believes she created him from a Golem. If you are not familiar, a Golem is a Jewish mystical creature created out of clay or mud and brought to life, usually to protect Jews from antisemitism.

Faye is upset when the small, upstate New York town where she lives is the subject of an antisemitism campaign. Antisemitic flyers are plastered all over the streets, and the flyers include names and addresses of Jewish people and their businesses. Faye is a ceramicist, and owns a small store where she sells her wares. Frightened, she breaks into the wine and ends up creating a clay man that she buries in her garden. The next day, she is riding her bike when she hits a man. He goes down hard, ends up in the hospital, and has a case of amnesia. Feeling guilty, Faye decides to take him home with her so he can convalesce until his memory returns.

Greg and Faye form a strong bond, but they are leery of getting too close because they don’t know if he has a family, a wife, or someone else. The antisemitism problem starts escalating, as does the romance, but I found the book slow going and somewhat repetitive for the first couple of hundred pages. I was tempted to put it down more than once, but because I’ve always enjoyed her books, I stayed with it. It does pick up in the second half, with a somewhat unbelievable ending to the antisemitism plotline and a happy ending for Faye and Greg.

This was the first contemporary romance I’ve read that addresses the rising antisemitism in this country, so I believe it is an important story woven into the romance. It never felt preachy at all, but rather showed how these acts make people feel and some of the consequences of these actions. There are so many Christian romances that Meltzer’s books always feel special to me, especially since there is a dearth of Jewish romance novels out there. I wish there were more.

9/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

MAGICAL MEET CUTE by Jean Meltzer. MIRA; Original edition (August 27, 2024). ISBN:‎ 978-0778334415. 400p.

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From the author:

The Dundee series is a small town contemporary romance series consisting of eight full-length books and a novella to cap it off at the end. Because these are older books, the first connected books Brenda ever wrote, the covers have been updated and so have some of the titles. [For some reason, the audiobooks have not been updated.] Currently, the series goes like this:

OLD TITLE => NEW TITLE
A Baby of Her Own => That One Night
A Husband of Her Own => Falling for You
A Family of Her Own => First Love Second Chance
A Home of Her Own => Say You Love Me
Stranger in Town => Meant for You
Big Girls Don’t Cry => Finding You
The Other Woman => Just the Two of Us
Coulda Been a Cowboy => The More I Love You
A Dundee Christmas as the novella that ends it all (Kindle only)

https://amzn.to/47e4iLf

This series became an experiment, of sorts, in my ability to listen to audiobooks. I found them all on Hoopla, a library app, so they were all free (my favorite kind of books!) Interestingly, they all had different narrators, so that was another test for me. There are many devoted audiobook readers who stick with specific narrators and will read anything they narrate. I get that, some are definitely better than others, but in this series, I pretty much liked them all, other than the last book, which was read by a man. He wasn’t great but I still managed to listen to it and not have my mind wander off. It is also the weakest story (other than the novella at the end,) so that didn’t help either.

Because this series is so old, originally published from 2002-2007, there are some things that really jumped out at me, like some of the characters smoked and they weren’t bad guys, which is a thing now; generally, anytime a character smokes in a movie or book or whatever, that hints at some negativity about that character, but not here. There were other things that I wished had also been updated, like a woman who has to lose ten pounds before the guy realizes he likes her, and in an early book, calling a guy in a wheelchair a cripple. That was tough to listen to, but I persevered and the fifth book actually featured that guy, who was no longer called that, thank goodness.

All in all, I really enjoyed this series and listened to the whole thing. I even found the final novella, A Dundee Christmas, also available on Hoopla but as an ebook. As usual with novellas, I didn’t love it and it didn’t tie up the series at all. In fact, Amazon calls it a short story, and as far as I’m concerned, it was a weak link if anything, to the series.

Book 1: A Baby of Her Own
Carly Robins (Narrator)

What Delaney wants is a baby. A baby of her own. At 30 she longs to break away from the constraints of her life, longs to reach out for her heart’s desire. She’d prefer marriage as well, but there’s no man in Dundee, Idaho, she’s interested in marrying.

Then one winter night, she and her best friend, Rebecca, go to Boise with the intent of finding a man for Delaney. She meets a handsome stranger named Conner, a man who might be able to provide her with the solution she needs – and the baby she wants!

Afterward, she thinks she must have been out of her mind. But it’s too late. Because she’s pregnant. And because the stranger isn’t a stranger anymore. Conner Armstrong is now living on a ranch just outside Dundee.

Book 2: A Husband of Her Own
Amy McFadden (Narrator)

Rebecca Wells desperately wants to overcome her reputation. She’s finally trying to put an end to her 24-year rivalry with the perfect Josh Hill, a rivalry that began when she was a kid and the Hills moved in across the street. Great looking, popular, a successful horse rancher, Josh is Dundee’s golden boy – and the son her father always wanted. But even when her father insists they call a truce, it’s hard for Rebecca to drop her resentment of Josh. She refuses to acknowledge that she feels more for him than she’s ever let on. The man she loves to hate is also the man she’d hate to love!

Book 3: A Family of Her Own
Andi Arndt (Narrator)

Pregnant…and alone?

When Katie Rogers returns to Dundee, Idaho, it’s not because she wants to. It’s because she’s disillusioned, broke – and pregnant. She was going to make something of her life in the big city. Instead she’s paying a high price for trusting the wrong man.

Booker Robinson is the man she didn’t trust, the man she’d left behind in Dundee…and the first person she sees when she comes back. But despite Booker’s notorious past, he now has a successful business and a home of his own.

He’s also spent two years getting over Katie. She’s the last person he wants to see. But when her parents refuse to take her in, she doesn’t have anywhere else to go, and Booker soon finds himself with a roommate – one who needs a father for her baby….

Katie’s vowed she’ll never trust the wrong man again. But sometimes a man isn’t everything he seems. And sometimes he’s more….

Book 4: A Home of Her Own
Rachel Fulginiti (Narrator)

When Lucky Caldwell was 10, her mother, Red – the best-known hooker in Dundee, Idaho – married Morris Caldwell, a wealthy and much older man. It didn’t last, of course, but Morris’ kindness was the highlight of Lucky’s life.

Mike Hill, Morris’ grandson, doesn’t feel too well disposed toward Red or her kids. He believes they alienated Morris from his family. Even Morris’ Victorian mansion, on the property next to the Hill ranch, wasn’t inherited by one of his grandchildren. Instead the house went to Lucky, who left it sitting empty for years.

Now that Red and Morris are both dead, Lucky has finally come back to Dundee. She plans to restore the derelict place – and to look for her real father, who has to be one of three men named in her mother’s diary.

That means Mike has a new neighbor. One he doesn’t want to like….

Book 5: Stranger in Town
Molly Elston (Narrator)

Old grudges become new loves in this enchanting contemporary romance

The car accident was Hannah Price’s fault—a tragic mistake that changed Gabe Holbrook’s life forever, destroying everything he’d been or ever wanted to be.

He was a man who’d had it all. Intelligent, handsome, talented, rich, he’d been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Now he’s come home to Dundee, the small town where he was raised, but he’s a stranger to the people who once knew him. He’s bitter and withdrawn and entirely focused on recovering. But thanks to Hannah Price, there are some things that can’t be fixed.

Hannah has been struggling to recover from that fateful night, too. Unlike Gabe, she sustained only minor injuries. But she’s not sure she’ll ever be able to forgive herself for what happened. Especially when Gabe becomes her son’s football coach, and she begins to fall in love with the man she nearly destroyed…

Book 6: Big Girls Don’t Cry
Amy Rubinate (Narrator)

Sometimes Mr. Right couldn’t be more wrong…

Thanks to a devastating revelation about her husband, Reenie Holbrook’s once-perfect marriage is over. For 11 years she had the life she wanted – and now it’s gone.

Sometimes Mr. Wrong couldn’t be more right…

Reenie decides that the first step in recovering from her ordeal is to find work; after all, she has three young children to support. She’s thrilled when she lands a job at Dundee High teaching history – until Isaac Russell, the man who triggered the unraveling of her marriage, accepts a temporary position teaching science. Then she’s tempted to quit. Reenie doesn’t care if the whole town admires Isaac…and she won’t admit that secretly she admires him, too. She doesn’t want to see him or his sister in her town.

Book 7: The Other Woman
 Tara Sands (Narrator)

A second chance doesn’t mean second best!

Elizabeth O’Connell has survived one of the worst betrayals a wife can imagine. Finding out that she wasn’t the only woman in her husband’s life meant the end of her marriage and a year of personal hell. Now she’s focusing on her new business and raising her two kids.

Carter Hudson isn’t part of her plan. When he’s introduced to Liz by well-meaning friends, her dislike is instant. But as she spends time with him, Liz realizes she likes having Carter in her life. More than likes it. However, Carter has secrets in his past that he can’t seem to escape, secrets that apparently involve a woman. Liz is sure of one thing: She’ll never be the other woman again!

Book 8: Coulda Been a Cowboy
Adam Verner (Narrator)

Grandpa Garnier used to say love is like a bucking bronco. It takes guts and determination to hang on, but it’s worth the ride.

If only Grandpa was around now to help Tyson Garnier out of this mess. The famous pro football player is suddenly saddled with a very public scandal – and an illegitimate child. Tyson needs a good nanny now if he’s going to salvage his career. And plain, no-nonsense Dakota Brown is the ideal candidate.

Dakota doesn’t care for football – or for a man who doesn’t seem to want his own son. But she needs this job, and that precious little baby needs her.

Dakota isn’t Tyson’s kind of woman. But the more he sees of her – and the more he sees of his son – the harder he wants to hang on.

A Dundee Christmas: A Holiday Romance (Kindle)

For the first time as a stand-alone ebook!

Down on her luck, Cierra Santos is seeking refuge in the small town of Dundee during a snowstorm when she is taken in by a man who helps her discover a new sense of home. But Ken Holbrook provides more than safety and comfort because, with him, she also finds love.

9/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

Dundee, Idaho Series by Brenda Novak. Harlequin Audio. 2202-2007.

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Lovelight, Book 4

From the publisher:

AN INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER!

Two opposites decide to test their chemistry with one steamy night together. But will once be enough?

Nova Porter isn’t looking for love, and she certainly has no explanation for her attraction to buttoned-up, three-piece-suit-wearing investment banker Charlie Milford. Maybe it’s his charm? Or maybe it’s his determination to help her fledgling business however he can. Either way, she’s distracted every time he’s around. With her new tattoo studio set to open in her hometown of Inglewild, she doesn’t have time for frivolous flirtations. 

In an effort to get Charlie out of her system once and for all, Nova offers a proposition. One night. No strings. They’ll kick their uncomfortable attraction to the curb and return to their respective responsibilities. But their explosive night together scatters their expectations like fallen leaves. And with Charlie in town as the temporary head of Lovelight Farms, Nova can’t quite avoid him. 

And Charlie? Well, Charlie knows a good investment when he sees one. He’s hoping he can convince Nova he’s worth some of her time.

“The way Borison softly weaves together a friends-with-benefits and opposites-attract romance, while also incorporating Charlie’s ADHD and people-pleasing and Nova’s perfectionism, will keep readers starry-eyed as they imagine visiting the beloved small town of Inglewild…This final and fourth book in the “Lovelight” series, after Mixed Signals, is a knockout.”—Library Journal (starred review)

“Charming, sexy, and cozy, Business Casual is both a gratifying series conclusion and a worthwhile novel on its own about love and the perennial beauty of finding (and making) a home.”—Shelf Awareness

https://amzn.to/3yX4a6k

I have every book in this series on my Kindle, but somehow, I never read any until this last one. I hate when that happens! Especially because this was such a good read. So now I have to go back and read the three previous novels in the series. (Something to look forward to, at least.) I used to be able to save all the good books I missed until December, because it was such a slow month for publishing, at least in genre fiction. But no more! I already have 32 books to read that are being published in December. I can’t read a book a day anymore! And this is what happens. I miss one, and the next thing you know, I’m reading the fourth book in a series and haven’t read any of the earlier ones. Ugh. Okay, rant over.

So let’s start; reading this I had no idea it was part of a series. Every character was introduced and made sense to the plot, so kudos to Borison for that. It’s not easy to write a series and yet make each book work on its own. Our main characters are Charlie, a wealthy New York investment banker prone to wearing three-piece suits and watches that cost more than most people make in this tiny hamlet, and Nova, a bit of a grump who is the proprietor of the only female-owned tattoo parlor on the East coast. Neither is looking for a relationship. Charlie escapes to this small town to see his friends and unwind from the life that he lives in the city. They have been friends for years, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a strong physical attraction to one another, and acting on it may be just the thing they need to get it out of their systems. As if that ever worked in a romance novel.

This is a very steamy novel, so if that is not your thing, read elsewhere. The sex is hot and well written, and that says a lot to Borison’s skills. The story moves along rapidly, and as these characters start exploring each other beyond the physical, real intimacy grows, leading to their happy ending. I can’t wait to read the rest of the books in this series!

8/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

BUSINESS CASUAL by B.K. Borison. Berkley (July 16, 2024). ISBN:‎ 978-0593641170. 384p.

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From the publisher:

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In the wake of tragedy, a group of friends makes a pact that will cause them to reunite a decade later and embark upon a life-changing adventure together—from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Meant to Be.

Four freshmen arrive at college from completely different worlds: Lainey, a California party girl with a flair for drama; Tyson, a brilliant scholar and aspiring lawyer from Washington, D.C.; Summer, an ambitious, recruited athlete from the Midwest; and Hannah, a mild-mannered southerner who is content to quietly round out the circle of big personalities. Soon after arriving on campus, they strike up a conversation in their shared dorm, and the seeds of friendship are planted.

As their college years fly by, their bond intensifies and the four become inseparable. But as graduation nears, their lives are forever changed after a desperate act leads to tragic consequences. Stunned and heartbroken, they make a pact, promising to always be there for one another, no matter how separated they may become by circumstances or distance.

Ten years later, Hannah is anticipating what should be one of the happiest moments of her life when everything is suddenly turned upside down. Calling on her closest friends, it soon becomes clear that they are all facing their own crossroads. True to their promise, they agree to take a time out from lives headed in wrong directions and embark on a shared journey of self-discovery, forgiveness, and acceptance.

In this tender portrayal of grief, love, and hope, Emily Giffin asks: When things fall apart, who will be at our sides, helping us pick up the pieces?

“Giffin is at her best when she’s delving into the hard and sometimes outwardly questionable choices that her characters make in their pursuit of happiness, and her latest harks back to her bold, layered debut, Something Borrowed (2004). This thirtysomething coming-into-one’s-own tale feels true to life, messy in all the best ways, and hopeful. A triumph.”—Booklist (starred review)

“Want to indulge in juicy, page-turning escapism? The Summer Pact is about a group of friends . . . [and] a reunion tour, a decade after college, inspired by a long-ago promise to turn to one another in times of need. [They] take turns narrating their trip to the Italian island of Capri, where closure may or may not await.”—The New York Times

I’ve been reading Giffin since her first book came out twenty years ago, but this one was a bit of a disappointment. There is a group of friends from college, and I would say spoiler alert, but one of them dies, and that happens pretty much at the beginning of the book. Then they deal with it.

I feel like I’ve read a few stories with similar plotlines that were done better than this. There was diversity in the characters and it wasn’t subtle, to say the least. Yes, it was messy, but was it true to life? I’m not so sure. Not my favorite from an author I’ve always loved.

8/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE SUMMER PACT by Emily Giffin. Ballantine Books (July 9, 2024). ISBN:‎ 978-0593600290. 352p.

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Indiana Summers, Book 3

From the publisher:

They’ve been trying to avoid each other.
But this town has other ideas…

When Berkley Carr opened The Love Shack Animal Haven, she thought she’d finally put her past behind her. But sometimes she feels the sting of the scandal from her youth, especially when she keeps crossing paths with her handsome neighbor. So, she keeps her head down and pours all her love into caring for animals.

Lawson Salder moved to Cemetery, Indiana, to escape from the grinding poverty of his childhood. He barely knew Berkley from their old neighborhood, but every time he sees her, the shame and pain come crashing back. He knows she’s got major baggage of her own. They’re better off just avoiding each other.

But that’s downright impossible in a town full of matchmaking busybodies. Then there’s the hard-to-ignore attraction they feel every time they see each other. When the universe is conspiring to bring them together, will Berkley and Lawson let past hurts go and embrace the love they deserve?

https://amzn.to/3Awn5VR

I read the first book in this series, The Honeymoon Cottage, which I enjoyed. Somehow I missed the second book, The Little Flower Shop, which I’ll have to hunt down. The Love Shack is a great title (even if I can’t get the B-52’s out of my head!) and it’s also the name of the animal shelter run by the main character, Berkley. Berkley has moved to the small town of Cemetery to escape a troubled past, and is shocked to find someone from her past is already here in town, for the same reasons.

Lawson has a strong protective streak, especially when it comes to Berkley. There is another character of sorts in this series, Katherine, a mannequin that the townsfolk dress up and move around. She creeps out Lawson, but he is good natured enough to deal with it and it adds some levity to the story. The real fun is the animals though!

As Lawson and Berkley spend time together, they fall in love. There are obstacles in the way, but the meddling town founder, the elderly Betty Cemetery, has her heart set on making these two a match. Matchmaking not withstanding, this is a sweet romance with a tiny bit of heat and the requisite happy ending. Foster writes good stories, and I enjoyed this one.

8/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE LOVE SHACK by Lori Foster. Canary Street Press; Original edition (June 11, 2024). ISBN:‎ 978-1335517142. 336p.

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From the publisher:

An instant USA Today bestseller

A hockey player and a baker shoot their shot in this steamy new romance by Lana Ferguson, USA Today bestselling author of The Nanny.

When a very public breakup becomes a PR nightmare for Ian Chase’s team, he hopes to focus on his game, but that suddenly seem less likely than a hat trick. With his career and the team’s image in jeopardy, Ian is surprised to find a solution through none other than Delilah Baker, his best friend and teammate’s little sister…who isn’t so little anymore.

Delilah Baker is known as “the darling of baking” on her local cable show, and being in the public eye is her bread and butter. But with her numbers dwindling and her producers turning up the heat, Delilah offers up the half-baked idea to collaborate with her brother’s team to entice the hockey fans of Boston to tune in to her show. Delilah thinks it will be a piece of cake—until the team sends Ian Chase, her brother’s best friend and the object of a decade-long crush that she’s never quite gotten over. 

Delilah’s and Ian’s teams think it’s a true win-win situation—gaining higher numbers for Delilah’s show and casting Ian in a more positive light. And viewers are eating them up like a cupcake, sparking the idea to play up their relationship for the goal of good press. With more than just their careers on thin ice, the line between what’s real and what’s for show begins to blur, but one thing’s for certain: This PR stunt will either be a total game changer—or leave them both totally pucked.

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Ian was Delilah’s brother’s best friend and her teenage crush, and now they are both professional hockey players in Boston, where they take their hockey very seriously. When Ian’s reputation takes a hit, his PR team is trying to find a way to make him look good again. Enter Delilah and her local cooking show. Her ratings are in freefall, and she comes up with the idea of baking with a hockey player. Her brother is a pro, and his teammates are askable. Ian is perfect – it will help both of them, and it does, except for that crush that is surprisingly still lingering.

Viewers love seeing Ian and Delilah together, and Ian is surprised at how much he enjoys Delilah’s company. Then things really heat up.

Ferguson writes steamy romances, and this is a good one. The hockey is just the “icing” on the cake! (sorry, I couldn’t help myself and hockey fans will get it!) There are a lot of good romance tropes here, including fake dating, friends to lovers, brother’s best friend, and also a lot of laughs. This is a fun, fast-paced rom-com, and I totally enjoyed it.

8/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE GAME CHANGER by Lana Ferguson. Berkley (July 9, 2024). ISBN:‎ 978-0593816837. 400p.

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Big Shots, Book 2

From the publisher:

#1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey returns with an all-new sports rom-com about a burly, surly, single dad who falls head-over-hockey-stick for his quirky live-in nanny…

Tallulah is smart, vivacious, and studying to be a marine biologist. She’s also twenty-six and broke. So when Burgess, a battle-scarred hockey veteran and newly single dad, offers her a job as his live-in nanny, she jumps at the opportunity to get paid while living in a super fancy neighborhood and being around Lissa, his cool but introverted tween.

Her tween charge isn’t the only one who could use some help fitting in, though. According to…well, everyone except Burgess, he needs to get back on the dating scene, and adventurous Tallulah is just the girl to show him how. But as boundaries are slowly crossed and Burgess finds himself pulled between his daughter, who wants her parents back together, and his insane chemistry with Tallulah, a huge rift is formed, and Tallulah does the “right” thing—breaks her own heart and walks away.

Though Burgess knows it’s for the best—he’s too jaded, with too much baggage—a chance meeting, and a new push from his daughter, forces him to put everything on the line and fight to prove he learned his lessons well and is worthy of a happily ever after with Tallulah. 

“Come for the buzzy hockey romance trope, stay for the unique spins and swoon-worthy leading man that Bailey has become famous for crafting.” — USA Today

“Bailey writes banter and rom-com scenarios with aplomb, but for those who like their romance on the spicier side, she’s also the Michelangelo of dirty talk. She wields filth like Da Vinci does a paintbrush, and there’s a lot to be said for an author who can fill such exchanges with all the requisite heat, enthusiastic consent, and yes, even humor, of such a scenario without veering into corny territory.” — Entertainment Weekly

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Bailey is one of my favorite writers, and I loved her latest! I was already halfway there with the hockey player storyline, and the single dad, grumpy-sunshine, forced proximity, age difference, and all the other romantic subgenres just brought this together in one terrific read for me.

Falling for the nanny is a time-honored romance tradition – not sure how often it happens in real life (forget Hollywood, I mean real people life!) but it was definitely believable here – maybe because Burgess falls first? And fortunately, he is already divorced (I hate any nanny marriage breakups.) He has to work to sweep Tallulah off her feet, and he does. But then comes the tween-age daughter. She adores Tallulah until she realizes that her dad is involved with the nanny. Like most kids, she wants her parents to get back together and Tallulah refuses to be the reason they don’t.

There is a lot of turmoil and angst before they reach their happy ending, and a lot of very steamy sex, making this an emotional yet fun read. I enjoyed getting to know these characters, and I was invested enough to root for their happily ever after. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series!

Note: Like most romance series, you do not need to read these in order. Each book is about a different couple, and while the couple from book one is mentioned, it wouldn’t matter if you hadn’t read it. That said, I think the first book, Fangirl Down, a golf romance, may have been even better than this one, so why not read both!

8/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE AU PAIR AFFAIR by Tessa Bailey. Avon (July 16, 2024). ISBN:‎ 978-0063308428. 384p.

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